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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated The Road to Canterbury in Tabletop Games
Oct 4, 2021
I am not a sinless man. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve been to confession, and at this point I’m afraid I would be there for hours just spilling the beans. I know many pious people, but alas, I am not one. However, I do appreciate those that attempt to live that holy life. It takes a lot of guts and a lot of hard work. I guess I’m a little slothy when it comes to that, personally. Anyway, I know of the Seven Deadly Sins, Cardinal Sins, Capital Vices, or whatever you’d like to call them. In fact, I really like the movie Seven – I think it’s great! That said, let’s find out just “what’s in the box?”
The Road To Canterbury is a game of medieval hand management and area influence. In it players are false pardoners stalking the road to the city of Canterbury as pilgrims make their way there from London. As their companies run across these pardoners, they are offered the chance to purchase pardons – salvation and forgiveness for their sins. However, these pardoners are also keen to help the pilgrims along the path of sin, thus making their faux pardons worth even more money! The pardoner who ends the game with the most money will win along The Road to Canterbury.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of the Impoverished Pilgrim Edition (2nd edition) game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, follow the rulebook, as there are many components to track. The main areas are the Circle of Sin mat that holds the Parson pawn, the decks area that hold the various decks of cards from which players will be drawing, and each player’s personal area where players will hide their earnings and hand of cards behind the privacy screen. Once all is setup somewhat correctly, it should look similar to the photo below. Warning: When I set this up and took the photo, I neglected to realize the red company and the map tiles were translated to the wrong spaces, so just switch those.
The Road to Canterbury is a game of rounds, and each round players will be taking similar steps: Play One Card, Redraw, Perform a Reckoning of Sin. Players will have access to three different types of cards that can be played during the Play One Card phase: Sin cards (five of which are dealt at setup), Pardon cards, and Relic cards. During this phase, the active player can play a Sin card to one of the active Pilgrims to tempt them towards committing that sin. The first time the player adds a Sin card to a Pilgrim, they place one of their corruption cubes on the matching sin on the Circle of Sin. Alternatively, they may play a powerful Relic card that offers adjustments to the rules, or has some interesting results. When a player feels that enough Sin cards of a specific type have been played on a Pilgrim, they may opt to play a matching Pardon card in order to gain precious coin to their pockets. Each Pardon card essentially pardons ALL the sins of that type on the Pilgrim, and the player then collects coins exponentially for a larger total of matching Sin cards on that Pilgrim. If the Parson is currently sitting on the matching sin, the pardoner receives extra coin for it being an especially egregious sin in the eyes of the church. Each time the Pilgrim is pardoned, the pardoner places one of their corruption cubes upon the Pilgrim.
After the active player has played their card, they must Redraw their hand back to five cards, choosing to draw from the Sin, Pardon, or Relic offerings. Some Sin cards may be drawn that are Death Approaches cards. When these surface, they are immediately attached to the Pilgrim whose color matches that of the drawn card’s border color. This essentially eats up a slot on the Pilgrim that could be used for a Sin card to be pardoned.
Once the player has redrawn cards to their hand they must next Perform a Reckoning of Sin. The active player assesses each active Pilgrim to see if they have seven or more cards attached to them. If so, that Pilgrim will perish from the “deadly” sins. Whichever player has placed the most number of corruption cubes upon the Pilgrim is considered present at time of death and will receive credit for the sending to the heavens. They move one of the cubes upon the Pilgrim to the first space on the map tile, earning bonus points and a Last Rites token. Last Rites may be performed immediately to take another turn, or may be held until the end of the game for a 3 VP bonus per token. The most interesting aspect of a Pilgrim dying is the fact that their card now becomes a permanent placeholder underneath their company’s colored banner. So the next Pilgrim to enter play for that company will need only six additional cards to kick the bucket, and so on.
Play continues in this fashion of players taking turns through their three phases. The game ends when all the spaces on the map tile are filled with cubes. Bonus points are counted, coins are added, and the player with the most money/highest score is the winner! The best temptress and pardoner this side of Yorkshire!
Components. I have no experience with the first edition of The Road to Canterbury, so unfortunately I cannot compare and contrast components. However, I have seen many photos and even checked out a review video or two. What I can say about components is that this edition has refreshed the look of nearly everything, and so much for the better. Instead of boring plain cards, there’s just a little more decoration. Not so much to be invasive or distracting, but very tasteful. The component quality throughout is quite stellar. There’s a lot of cardboard in this box, and it all looks and feels great. I do quite like the art style, even though it’s all medievall-y and too artsy for my normal preference. All in all a great quality box of game.
So like I said, I have no experience with this game prior to receiving it and playing through it now. It certainly doesn’t feel like a 10-year-old game, nor does it really feel like many of the Alf Seegert games I have played in the past. Neither of these points are bad at all, just some thoughts I had.
It should be obvious by my ratings graphic that I dig this game a lot. I have nothing like it in my collection, and I am super excited to really bring this out with different types of gamers to see how it fares (once the COVID is no longer an issue, of course). I see this being a hit with my family, who enjoys a lot of take that style games. I see this being a hit with my more thinky gamer friends, because there are just so many juicy choices to be had every turn. I can see this even being a hit with my more gateway friends, because it isn’t terribly heavy, has some humor in it, and I can see the prospect of sowing sin and killing off innocent Pilgrims being attractive to some of my more morbid friends.
For me, I love the ability to take every turn and make important decisions. I try to make every turn meaningful to my agenda, but tactical with what may be at my disposal at the time. When should I play this Relic? Why is named something ridiculous? Should I wait a while longer to pardon this sin, or should I pile on another and then pardon next turn? Ooh, but what if my opponent has the same Pardon card. Am I truly happy that this poor Wife of Bath is about to kick it? GAAHHHHH!
Now it’s no secret that I am a big fan of Dr. Seegert’s games, as I have previously reviewed Fantastiqa and Haven with very high ratings. So, I was not at all surprised that I would love this one as well. It offers so many great choices, looks great on the table, fills a unique void that was present in my collection, and can be played with various types of gamers, even though it is designed for two or three players total. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an unapologetic 5 / 6. I don’t think it will break into my Top 10, but I certainly won’t rule it out quite yet. More plays with different types of gamers may change my mind on that statement, and I eagerly await my plateful of crow. So if you are like me in your gaming preferences, check out this version of The Road to Canterbury. Let me know how often you tend to grab Relics too, because I feel like I need to utilize them more, but it is so hard to pass up a Sin or Pardon. I Lust after them so very badly.
The Road To Canterbury is a game of medieval hand management and area influence. In it players are false pardoners stalking the road to the city of Canterbury as pilgrims make their way there from London. As their companies run across these pardoners, they are offered the chance to purchase pardons – salvation and forgiveness for their sins. However, these pardoners are also keen to help the pilgrims along the path of sin, thus making their faux pardons worth even more money! The pardoner who ends the game with the most money will win along The Road to Canterbury.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of the Impoverished Pilgrim Edition (2nd edition) game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, follow the rulebook, as there are many components to track. The main areas are the Circle of Sin mat that holds the Parson pawn, the decks area that hold the various decks of cards from which players will be drawing, and each player’s personal area where players will hide their earnings and hand of cards behind the privacy screen. Once all is setup somewhat correctly, it should look similar to the photo below. Warning: When I set this up and took the photo, I neglected to realize the red company and the map tiles were translated to the wrong spaces, so just switch those.
The Road to Canterbury is a game of rounds, and each round players will be taking similar steps: Play One Card, Redraw, Perform a Reckoning of Sin. Players will have access to three different types of cards that can be played during the Play One Card phase: Sin cards (five of which are dealt at setup), Pardon cards, and Relic cards. During this phase, the active player can play a Sin card to one of the active Pilgrims to tempt them towards committing that sin. The first time the player adds a Sin card to a Pilgrim, they place one of their corruption cubes on the matching sin on the Circle of Sin. Alternatively, they may play a powerful Relic card that offers adjustments to the rules, or has some interesting results. When a player feels that enough Sin cards of a specific type have been played on a Pilgrim, they may opt to play a matching Pardon card in order to gain precious coin to their pockets. Each Pardon card essentially pardons ALL the sins of that type on the Pilgrim, and the player then collects coins exponentially for a larger total of matching Sin cards on that Pilgrim. If the Parson is currently sitting on the matching sin, the pardoner receives extra coin for it being an especially egregious sin in the eyes of the church. Each time the Pilgrim is pardoned, the pardoner places one of their corruption cubes upon the Pilgrim.
After the active player has played their card, they must Redraw their hand back to five cards, choosing to draw from the Sin, Pardon, or Relic offerings. Some Sin cards may be drawn that are Death Approaches cards. When these surface, they are immediately attached to the Pilgrim whose color matches that of the drawn card’s border color. This essentially eats up a slot on the Pilgrim that could be used for a Sin card to be pardoned.
Once the player has redrawn cards to their hand they must next Perform a Reckoning of Sin. The active player assesses each active Pilgrim to see if they have seven or more cards attached to them. If so, that Pilgrim will perish from the “deadly” sins. Whichever player has placed the most number of corruption cubes upon the Pilgrim is considered present at time of death and will receive credit for the sending to the heavens. They move one of the cubes upon the Pilgrim to the first space on the map tile, earning bonus points and a Last Rites token. Last Rites may be performed immediately to take another turn, or may be held until the end of the game for a 3 VP bonus per token. The most interesting aspect of a Pilgrim dying is the fact that their card now becomes a permanent placeholder underneath their company’s colored banner. So the next Pilgrim to enter play for that company will need only six additional cards to kick the bucket, and so on.
Play continues in this fashion of players taking turns through their three phases. The game ends when all the spaces on the map tile are filled with cubes. Bonus points are counted, coins are added, and the player with the most money/highest score is the winner! The best temptress and pardoner this side of Yorkshire!
Components. I have no experience with the first edition of The Road to Canterbury, so unfortunately I cannot compare and contrast components. However, I have seen many photos and even checked out a review video or two. What I can say about components is that this edition has refreshed the look of nearly everything, and so much for the better. Instead of boring plain cards, there’s just a little more decoration. Not so much to be invasive or distracting, but very tasteful. The component quality throughout is quite stellar. There’s a lot of cardboard in this box, and it all looks and feels great. I do quite like the art style, even though it’s all medievall-y and too artsy for my normal preference. All in all a great quality box of game.
So like I said, I have no experience with this game prior to receiving it and playing through it now. It certainly doesn’t feel like a 10-year-old game, nor does it really feel like many of the Alf Seegert games I have played in the past. Neither of these points are bad at all, just some thoughts I had.
It should be obvious by my ratings graphic that I dig this game a lot. I have nothing like it in my collection, and I am super excited to really bring this out with different types of gamers to see how it fares (once the COVID is no longer an issue, of course). I see this being a hit with my family, who enjoys a lot of take that style games. I see this being a hit with my more thinky gamer friends, because there are just so many juicy choices to be had every turn. I can see this even being a hit with my more gateway friends, because it isn’t terribly heavy, has some humor in it, and I can see the prospect of sowing sin and killing off innocent Pilgrims being attractive to some of my more morbid friends.
For me, I love the ability to take every turn and make important decisions. I try to make every turn meaningful to my agenda, but tactical with what may be at my disposal at the time. When should I play this Relic? Why is named something ridiculous? Should I wait a while longer to pardon this sin, or should I pile on another and then pardon next turn? Ooh, but what if my opponent has the same Pardon card. Am I truly happy that this poor Wife of Bath is about to kick it? GAAHHHHH!
Now it’s no secret that I am a big fan of Dr. Seegert’s games, as I have previously reviewed Fantastiqa and Haven with very high ratings. So, I was not at all surprised that I would love this one as well. It offers so many great choices, looks great on the table, fills a unique void that was present in my collection, and can be played with various types of gamers, even though it is designed for two or three players total. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an unapologetic 5 / 6. I don’t think it will break into my Top 10, but I certainly won’t rule it out quite yet. More plays with different types of gamers may change my mind on that statement, and I eagerly await my plateful of crow. So if you are like me in your gaming preferences, check out this version of The Road to Canterbury. Let me know how often you tend to grab Relics too, because I feel like I need to utilize them more, but it is so hard to pass up a Sin or Pardon. I Lust after them so very badly.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Hunters of the Lost Creatures in Tabletop Games
May 8, 2022
If you are reading this, then we can agree on a few things: board games are cool and interesting, silly themes are usually fun, and we are all kids at heart. I appreciate other gamers so much because we all share a common bond of experiencing good and bad games, good and bad rules, as well as good and bad explanations of these rules. I would spoil it up top here if I let on which of these categories our featured game falls into, right? So keep reading.
Hunters of the Lost Creatures is a silly set collection card game for three to four players. In it, players assume the roles of zoological park curators charged with collecting unique creatures for their parks. They do this by bidding on and drafting creature cards, playing take-that style cards on their opponents, and blocking their cards from being manipulated by others.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, players choose one hunter card from each of the four hunting zones: Sea, Forest, Plains, and Air, as well as three “Park Closed” cards. The creature cards are to be split by zone and shuffled, with one special card (Turnado and Cat-a-Pult) added. These shuffled decks are then placed on the table and the top card revealed from each deck. Players decide turn order and the game may begin!
Hands are mostly played simultaneously, with players choosing either a hunter or special card from their hand and placing it face-down in front of themselves. All cards are revealed simultaneously and the card effects are applied. If a player has revealed a hunter, and no other players have the same-colored background/terrain type, that player receives the matching card from those on offer and places it in their park (tableau), or ANY OTHER PLAYER’S park. If ALL players have chosen the same terrain type hunters, the card on offer is removed from the game entirely. However, if not all hunters match, but at least one matches, the matching hunters’ players receive no cards.
Should a player choose to play a special card, their effects are triggered once per game. These include Turnado (switch any two creatures in any two parks), Cat-a-Pult (discards any creature from any player’s park), Thieves (steal any one terrain-matching creature and places it in the Thieves player’s park) and Closed Park (protects the player from the effects of aforementioned special cards). Again, these special cards may only be played once per game, so special consideration is needed as part of their strategy.
The game continues in this fashion of players throwing cards, messing with each other using special cards, and protecting themselves from said special cards until only one stack of creature cards remains. The game ends and points are tallied per the scoring table in the rulebook. The winner is promoted to Head Creature Park Guy and is carried around by the other players. Okay, that’s not at all true. They just win the game.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of Hunters of the Lost Creatures, so all components shown here are subject to change at any time. That said, I received a huge deck of cards in a cute black cloth bag. The cards are all decent quality, and not super glossy, which I appreciate. The art on these cards are all whimsical and silly, which match the silly and punny titles for each. Some of these punny titles can be seen in our photos, with my favorites being the Dandylion (a well-“dressed” weed with a cane and lion face) and the Cougar (which is subtle, but portrays an adult apex big cat with a smaller and younger cat hanging on it). If you enjoy these somewhat intellectual, and sometimes visual, puns you will enjoy these cards.
What I have found in playing through this several times is that it is best when all players are taught the game backwards…ly. I mean to say that players need to know the premise, but most importantly, the scoring system before even the setup. Points are scored for having a run of 1-2-3, a straight of 0-1-2-3-10, at least one card from each terrain type, and for the printed value on the cards. It is more than simply collecting all the favorite cards or even highest value 10 cards. So there is strategy in collecting the best assortment of creatures for scoring purposes, which is great because otherwise this game is not really a game at all.
As players play their hunters to draft creatures, I have found that many players choose to chase the same cards over and over. It becomes obvious that most players will be vying for the value 10 cards, so the players who figure this out and grab the second best card is usually happier with the hand. Of course, more strategy is employed once the special cards are played, as they each mess with opponents in different ways. So even though I may not have acquired that 10 of Forest, I might grab the Turnado and switch out a value 0 or -10 card for that sparkling value 10. Wait, negative 10? Yep. Sometimes life just smacks you around and you get stuck with a -10 card to really punish your great play. Not that it ever happened to me, and not that I would be bitter about it.
The real game hinges on the usage of the special cards. When do you play them? Whom do you target? Turnabout is fair play, after all, and no alliances can be formed whilst playing Hunters of the Lost Creatures. Now, it is hinted at in the rulebook that preview copies ship with entry-level rules, which mean (to me) that more advanced rules may be coming in the final game, or at least some variants to spice up the gameplay. If true, then this game becomes much more interesting to me. Don’t get me wrong. I have enjoyed almost all of my plays, but be warned that playing with spiteful gamers may end poorly for a fun-filled game night.
All in all, I am excited to see how the campaign for Hunters of the Lost Creatures fares, as I believe many gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy it. I would be super jazzed to grab a final copy if it does in fact ship with alternate or advanced rules, or if the creatures of the same value had unique names and art. That would really satisfy. Keep the bag or go traditional cardboard box, it matters not to me. Just beef up the card quality, add even more uniqueness and fanciful art and you’ve got a fan in me. Grab your copy during the Kickstarter campaign launching May 10, 2022!
Hunters of the Lost Creatures is a silly set collection card game for three to four players. In it, players assume the roles of zoological park curators charged with collecting unique creatures for their parks. They do this by bidding on and drafting creature cards, playing take-that style cards on their opponents, and blocking their cards from being manipulated by others.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
To setup, players choose one hunter card from each of the four hunting zones: Sea, Forest, Plains, and Air, as well as three “Park Closed” cards. The creature cards are to be split by zone and shuffled, with one special card (Turnado and Cat-a-Pult) added. These shuffled decks are then placed on the table and the top card revealed from each deck. Players decide turn order and the game may begin!
Hands are mostly played simultaneously, with players choosing either a hunter or special card from their hand and placing it face-down in front of themselves. All cards are revealed simultaneously and the card effects are applied. If a player has revealed a hunter, and no other players have the same-colored background/terrain type, that player receives the matching card from those on offer and places it in their park (tableau), or ANY OTHER PLAYER’S park. If ALL players have chosen the same terrain type hunters, the card on offer is removed from the game entirely. However, if not all hunters match, but at least one matches, the matching hunters’ players receive no cards.
Should a player choose to play a special card, their effects are triggered once per game. These include Turnado (switch any two creatures in any two parks), Cat-a-Pult (discards any creature from any player’s park), Thieves (steal any one terrain-matching creature and places it in the Thieves player’s park) and Closed Park (protects the player from the effects of aforementioned special cards). Again, these special cards may only be played once per game, so special consideration is needed as part of their strategy.
The game continues in this fashion of players throwing cards, messing with each other using special cards, and protecting themselves from said special cards until only one stack of creature cards remains. The game ends and points are tallied per the scoring table in the rulebook. The winner is promoted to Head Creature Park Guy and is carried around by the other players. Okay, that’s not at all true. They just win the game.
Components. Again, this is a prototype copy of Hunters of the Lost Creatures, so all components shown here are subject to change at any time. That said, I received a huge deck of cards in a cute black cloth bag. The cards are all decent quality, and not super glossy, which I appreciate. The art on these cards are all whimsical and silly, which match the silly and punny titles for each. Some of these punny titles can be seen in our photos, with my favorites being the Dandylion (a well-“dressed” weed with a cane and lion face) and the Cougar (which is subtle, but portrays an adult apex big cat with a smaller and younger cat hanging on it). If you enjoy these somewhat intellectual, and sometimes visual, puns you will enjoy these cards.
What I have found in playing through this several times is that it is best when all players are taught the game backwards…ly. I mean to say that players need to know the premise, but most importantly, the scoring system before even the setup. Points are scored for having a run of 1-2-3, a straight of 0-1-2-3-10, at least one card from each terrain type, and for the printed value on the cards. It is more than simply collecting all the favorite cards or even highest value 10 cards. So there is strategy in collecting the best assortment of creatures for scoring purposes, which is great because otherwise this game is not really a game at all.
As players play their hunters to draft creatures, I have found that many players choose to chase the same cards over and over. It becomes obvious that most players will be vying for the value 10 cards, so the players who figure this out and grab the second best card is usually happier with the hand. Of course, more strategy is employed once the special cards are played, as they each mess with opponents in different ways. So even though I may not have acquired that 10 of Forest, I might grab the Turnado and switch out a value 0 or -10 card for that sparkling value 10. Wait, negative 10? Yep. Sometimes life just smacks you around and you get stuck with a -10 card to really punish your great play. Not that it ever happened to me, and not that I would be bitter about it.
The real game hinges on the usage of the special cards. When do you play them? Whom do you target? Turnabout is fair play, after all, and no alliances can be formed whilst playing Hunters of the Lost Creatures. Now, it is hinted at in the rulebook that preview copies ship with entry-level rules, which mean (to me) that more advanced rules may be coming in the final game, or at least some variants to spice up the gameplay. If true, then this game becomes much more interesting to me. Don’t get me wrong. I have enjoyed almost all of my plays, but be warned that playing with spiteful gamers may end poorly for a fun-filled game night.
All in all, I am excited to see how the campaign for Hunters of the Lost Creatures fares, as I believe many gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy it. I would be super jazzed to grab a final copy if it does in fact ship with alternate or advanced rules, or if the creatures of the same value had unique names and art. That would really satisfy. Keep the bag or go traditional cardboard box, it matters not to me. Just beef up the card quality, add even more uniqueness and fanciful art and you’ve got a fan in me. Grab your copy during the Kickstarter campaign launching May 10, 2022!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Cloud City in Tabletop Games
Oct 21, 2020
Uh oh, another city-building game. I am notoriously horrible with the theme and mechanics, but I do love playing them anyway. But maybe it’s just because most games involve sprawling out, and maybe my specialty is sprawling up. Maybe, just maybe, I can be a vertical architect and leave the land-grubbing to those “other” architects.
Cloud City is a tile and building placing game for two to four players that is super light and super quick to play. In it players are building architects attempting to plan the greatest use of resources to create the most breathtaking buildings and connections of walkways all above the clouds. The winner is the player who amasses the most City Council votes by creating walkways that span daring lengths and connect same-sized buildings in the sky.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup set aside the starter Cloud tiles for use as player tiles (they have bird icons on them). Shuffle the remaining Cloud tiles and make a giant draw stack. Reveal three tiles for an offer row. Each player draws three Cloud tiles into their hand to be kept secret from the other players. They also will take the appropriate building pieces to place on their starting tiles. Keep the building pieces nearby as they will be used during the game. Players may now begin their bids for architect supreme!
On their turn each player will place a tile from their hand to add to their city, place the corresponding building pieces on the two areas of the tile, optionally build walkways to connect buildings, and then refill their hand of tiles.
When placing a tile, a few rules must be observed: tiles must be placed orthogonally adjacent to an existing tile in the city, may be rotated any direction, and must never be placed outside of a 3×3 tile grid (like the placement rules in Kingdomino).
Once tiles are placed, grab the matching-colored building pieces for the newly placed tile and plop them down on the icons. As the building in the city begin the spring up above the clouds they will need to be connected to buildings of the same height.
To connect these buildings players will take from the supply walkway tokens of different lengths and place them between building of matching height, as shown below. It is these walkways that score the players points as votes from the City Council.
As the player now has only two tiles in hand, a third tile will need to be drawn from either the offer row or blindly from the top of the draw pile. It is now the next player’s turn and the game ends once all players have built their 3×3 city!
Components. This game consists of a bunch of thick cardboard Cloud tiles (48), a bunch more walkway tokens (93), and even more building pieces (96). The tiles are all thick cardboard with minimal but effective art, and are great quality. The walkways are similar thickness and quality and fit into the depressions on the building tops quite nicely. And finally, those building pieces. Oh man, these are great! Super durable plastic (or resin if there’s a difference? I was never very good at chemistry) in three colors and heights. Not needed but certainly appreciated is the detail on each piece with sculpted windows and doors. These are fun pieces to handle during game play and see being built in front of you. Excellent components in this box!
Gameplay is super simple and quick! There are only four real rules to remember (with some restrictions per rule, but they make sense) and as there are only three tiles in hand to build on a turn, AP-prone gamers will still be able to take acceptable-length turns. It’s quick, light, and boasts some great components.
Cloud City is a sure-fire hit and big time winner for me. In fact, I am planning on having my 4-year-old play it with me to truly test the box stating ages 10+. If I can get him to sit still for 30 minutes and concentrate on something other than the tablet or TV I think he will really enjoy it. If you are looking for a great gateway game that even could act as a filler with great components and gameplay that makes you consider the old, “Just one more” attitude, then give Cloud City a look. Blue Orange Games has really increased their production values and choices of games to release. They are remarkable! Just like Cloud City: remarkable!
Cloud City is a tile and building placing game for two to four players that is super light and super quick to play. In it players are building architects attempting to plan the greatest use of resources to create the most breathtaking buildings and connections of walkways all above the clouds. The winner is the player who amasses the most City Council votes by creating walkways that span daring lengths and connect same-sized buildings in the sky.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup set aside the starter Cloud tiles for use as player tiles (they have bird icons on them). Shuffle the remaining Cloud tiles and make a giant draw stack. Reveal three tiles for an offer row. Each player draws three Cloud tiles into their hand to be kept secret from the other players. They also will take the appropriate building pieces to place on their starting tiles. Keep the building pieces nearby as they will be used during the game. Players may now begin their bids for architect supreme!
On their turn each player will place a tile from their hand to add to their city, place the corresponding building pieces on the two areas of the tile, optionally build walkways to connect buildings, and then refill their hand of tiles.
When placing a tile, a few rules must be observed: tiles must be placed orthogonally adjacent to an existing tile in the city, may be rotated any direction, and must never be placed outside of a 3×3 tile grid (like the placement rules in Kingdomino).
Once tiles are placed, grab the matching-colored building pieces for the newly placed tile and plop them down on the icons. As the building in the city begin the spring up above the clouds they will need to be connected to buildings of the same height.
To connect these buildings players will take from the supply walkway tokens of different lengths and place them between building of matching height, as shown below. It is these walkways that score the players points as votes from the City Council.
As the player now has only two tiles in hand, a third tile will need to be drawn from either the offer row or blindly from the top of the draw pile. It is now the next player’s turn and the game ends once all players have built their 3×3 city!
Components. This game consists of a bunch of thick cardboard Cloud tiles (48), a bunch more walkway tokens (93), and even more building pieces (96). The tiles are all thick cardboard with minimal but effective art, and are great quality. The walkways are similar thickness and quality and fit into the depressions on the building tops quite nicely. And finally, those building pieces. Oh man, these are great! Super durable plastic (or resin if there’s a difference? I was never very good at chemistry) in three colors and heights. Not needed but certainly appreciated is the detail on each piece with sculpted windows and doors. These are fun pieces to handle during game play and see being built in front of you. Excellent components in this box!
Gameplay is super simple and quick! There are only four real rules to remember (with some restrictions per rule, but they make sense) and as there are only three tiles in hand to build on a turn, AP-prone gamers will still be able to take acceptable-length turns. It’s quick, light, and boasts some great components.
Cloud City is a sure-fire hit and big time winner for me. In fact, I am planning on having my 4-year-old play it with me to truly test the box stating ages 10+. If I can get him to sit still for 30 minutes and concentrate on something other than the tablet or TV I think he will really enjoy it. If you are looking for a great gateway game that even could act as a filler with great components and gameplay that makes you consider the old, “Just one more” attitude, then give Cloud City a look. Blue Orange Games has really increased their production values and choices of games to release. They are remarkable! Just like Cloud City: remarkable!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Bermuda Pirates in Tabletop Games
Sep 8, 2021
The Bermuda Triangle. The area within the Atlantic Ocean that is rumored to be home of an aquatic black hole through which people and ships have gone inexplicably missing for years. What an excellent theme for a board game! I must admit, I learned of this game via one of Marco Arnaudo’s con videos and just had to have it. Was I bamboozled or is this a great game? Well, the ratings graphic above spoils that, but why is it so?
Bermuda Pirates pits players against each other in a mad dash to collect a set of colored gems from the middle island and bring them back to the home port first. Pirates (the players) will be encountering whirlpool vortexes along the way and can even place buoys to remind themselves to steer clear. The first player to bring back a whole set of gems successfully will be the winner!
To setup, first place the bracket piece (can only be seen partially in the final photo) in the middle of the table. Next orient the first layer of four square tiles (unseen in photos) on the bracket and then place the game board atop the tiles. Place flags upon the bracket nubs and matching gems at their bases. Each player chooses a color, takes the boat and buoys of that color and places them near the land with the matching dock color. The game may now begin!
On a player’s turn they must begin their journey from their home dock toward the center island to collect gems. They move their boat using one finger at the stern of the boat and pushing it across the board. Players will know when the boat has hit a hidden whirlpool when the magnets within the boat and within the board meet and create sudden resistance. The player may then place a buoy on that spot to remind themselves, and opponents, where a potential whirlpool spot is located. Should the player make a whirlpool-free trek to the central island, they must dock and collect a gem. From here the player must decide to either return back to their home dock to bank the gem or continue to collect gems before returning home.
Once a player has decided to return home with gem(s) aboard, they must take care not to hit whirlpools along the way because once the boat and whirlpool meet the boat will stop and the gems will fly across the board or even off the board. Those gems that land in the sea stay on the board to be collected by ANY player, and those gems that leave the board are lost forever. Herein lies the fun of Bermuda Pirates. Seeing gems flying will give players of any age and ability a giant piratey smile. The game ends once all players have had an equal amount of turns, and those pirates who have collected a set of one gem of each color will be the winners!
Components. I would certainly be remiss if I did not congratulate the designer and manufacturer of Bermuda Pirates for an absolutely gorgeous game with ingenious components. You see, the magnets that trip up the boats are hidden within that first layer of tiles that are placed on the bracket underneath the main game board. But even if you were to inspect these tiles, you would not necessarily know exactly where the magnets are placed. So every game will be different because of the order and orientation of the tiles setup. Bravo! Truly wonderful outside-the-box designing here. Yes, all the cardboard and plastic pieces are also great quality, but the ingenuity is what makes this one special.
I cannot say enough good things about Bermuda Pirates. My 4-year-old has a BLAST playing this one (even though the box says 7+. Shh, don’t tell anyone)! Seeing his face light up every time the gems go a-flying is just pure joy for a parent. Even when my wife and I played just the two of us, we were smiling the entire time we played. It’s that kind of game.
Bermuda Pirates will probably never reach my Top 10 Games of All Time list, but I certainly will hold onto it and cherish it in my collection. I think this game can work with any group of gamers of any skill or experience level. It is simply a joy to play as you push along your little boat hoping upon hope not to run into the whirlpool and have your four gems strewn about the ocean. Or placing the buoys just ever so slightly in the wrong location so that your opponents accidentally run into the whirlpool by trying a tangential approach. My family loves this game, and that is why Purple Phoenix Games gives this a very family-friendly piratey 10 / 12. If you are looking for something light and dextrous, with a great theme and excellent production quality, please check out Bermuda Pirates. It will definitely be a hit with anyone you introduce to it.
Bermuda Pirates pits players against each other in a mad dash to collect a set of colored gems from the middle island and bring them back to the home port first. Pirates (the players) will be encountering whirlpool vortexes along the way and can even place buoys to remind themselves to steer clear. The first player to bring back a whole set of gems successfully will be the winner!
To setup, first place the bracket piece (can only be seen partially in the final photo) in the middle of the table. Next orient the first layer of four square tiles (unseen in photos) on the bracket and then place the game board atop the tiles. Place flags upon the bracket nubs and matching gems at their bases. Each player chooses a color, takes the boat and buoys of that color and places them near the land with the matching dock color. The game may now begin!
On a player’s turn they must begin their journey from their home dock toward the center island to collect gems. They move their boat using one finger at the stern of the boat and pushing it across the board. Players will know when the boat has hit a hidden whirlpool when the magnets within the boat and within the board meet and create sudden resistance. The player may then place a buoy on that spot to remind themselves, and opponents, where a potential whirlpool spot is located. Should the player make a whirlpool-free trek to the central island, they must dock and collect a gem. From here the player must decide to either return back to their home dock to bank the gem or continue to collect gems before returning home.
Once a player has decided to return home with gem(s) aboard, they must take care not to hit whirlpools along the way because once the boat and whirlpool meet the boat will stop and the gems will fly across the board or even off the board. Those gems that land in the sea stay on the board to be collected by ANY player, and those gems that leave the board are lost forever. Herein lies the fun of Bermuda Pirates. Seeing gems flying will give players of any age and ability a giant piratey smile. The game ends once all players have had an equal amount of turns, and those pirates who have collected a set of one gem of each color will be the winners!
Components. I would certainly be remiss if I did not congratulate the designer and manufacturer of Bermuda Pirates for an absolutely gorgeous game with ingenious components. You see, the magnets that trip up the boats are hidden within that first layer of tiles that are placed on the bracket underneath the main game board. But even if you were to inspect these tiles, you would not necessarily know exactly where the magnets are placed. So every game will be different because of the order and orientation of the tiles setup. Bravo! Truly wonderful outside-the-box designing here. Yes, all the cardboard and plastic pieces are also great quality, but the ingenuity is what makes this one special.
I cannot say enough good things about Bermuda Pirates. My 4-year-old has a BLAST playing this one (even though the box says 7+. Shh, don’t tell anyone)! Seeing his face light up every time the gems go a-flying is just pure joy for a parent. Even when my wife and I played just the two of us, we were smiling the entire time we played. It’s that kind of game.
Bermuda Pirates will probably never reach my Top 10 Games of All Time list, but I certainly will hold onto it and cherish it in my collection. I think this game can work with any group of gamers of any skill or experience level. It is simply a joy to play as you push along your little boat hoping upon hope not to run into the whirlpool and have your four gems strewn about the ocean. Or placing the buoys just ever so slightly in the wrong location so that your opponents accidentally run into the whirlpool by trying a tangential approach. My family loves this game, and that is why Purple Phoenix Games gives this a very family-friendly piratey 10 / 12. If you are looking for something light and dextrous, with a great theme and excellent production quality, please check out Bermuda Pirates. It will definitely be a hit with anyone you introduce to it.
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